Comparative study of interactions of aliskiren and AT1 receptor antagonists with lipid bilayers.

The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) plays a key role in the regulation of blood pressure. Renin is the rate limiting enzyme of the RAAS and aliskiren is a highly potent and selective inhibitor of the human renin. Renin is known to be active both in the circulating blood stream as well as locally, when bound to the (pro)-renin receptor ((P)RR). In this study we have investigated a possible mechanism of action of aliskiren, in which its accumulation in the plasma membrane is considered as an essential step for effective inhibition. Aliskiren's interactions with model membranes (cholesterol rich and poor) have been investigated by applying different complementary techniques: differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Raman spectroscopy, magic angle spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS and WAXS). In addition, in silico molecular dynamics (MD) calculations were applied for further confirmation of the experimental data. Aliskiren's thermal effects on the pre- and main transition of dipalmitoyl-phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) membranes as well as its topographical position in the bilayer show striking similarities to those of angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) antagonists. Moreover, at higher cholesterol concentrations aliskiren gets expelled from the membrane just as it has been recently demonstrated for the angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) losartan. Thus, we propose that both the AT1R and the (P)RR-bound renin active sites can be efficiently blocked by membrane-bound ARBs and aliskiren when cholesterol rich membrane rafts/caveolae are formed in the vicinity of the receptors.

Comparative binding effects of aspirin and anti-inflammatory Cu complex in the active site of LOX-1.

(1)H NMR Saturation Transfer Difference (STD) experiments were applied to study the binding of aspirin and of an anti-inflammatory complex of Cu(I), namely [Cu(tpp)(pmt)](2) [pmt = 2-mercaptopyrimidine), synthesized in an attempt to develop novel metallotherapeutic molecules. While aspirin showed only very weak binding, the complex [Cu(tpp)(pmt)](2) clearly favored binding to LOX-1. In silico docking experiments in LOX-1 showed that aspirin does only weakly bind to LOX-1, while the complex binds with high affinity. In addition, docking experiments and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations showed that the complex binds via hydrogen bonding (HB), to an allosteric site of LOX-1, revealing that this enzyme has more than one accessible site for complex metallotherapeutic molecules. When aspirin was added in the solution containing LOX and the complex [Cu(tpp)(pmt)](2), the former was shown to hinder the binding of the Cu complex significantly. This may be interpreted as the copper complex aiding the transfer of aspirin through an acid-base reaction at the LOX enzyme which subsequently blocks its binding.

Electronic and vibrational linear and nonlinear polarizabilities of Li@C60 and [Li@C60]+.

Electronic and vibrational nuclear relaxation (NR) contributions to the dipole (hyper)polarizabilities of the endohedral fullerene Li@C(60) and its monovalent cation [Li@C(60)](+) are calculated at the (U)B3LYP level. Many results are new, while others differ significantly from those reported previously using more approximate methods. The properties are compared with those of the corresponding hypothetical noninteracting systems with a valence electron transferred from Li to the cage. Whereas the NR contribution to the static linear polarizabilities is small in comparison with the corresponding electronic property, the opposite is true for the static hyperpolarizabilities. A relatively small, but non-negligible, NR contribution to the dc-Pockels effect is obtained in the infinite frequency approximation.

Linear and nonlinear optical properties of [60]fullerene derivatives.

Using a wide variety of quantum-chemical methods we have analyzed in detail the linear and non-linear optical properties of [60]fullerene-chromophore dyads of different electron-donor character. The dyads are composed of [60]fullerene covalently linked with 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole and carbazole derivatives. Linear scaling calculations of molecular (hyper)polarizabilities were performed using wave function theory as well as density functional theory (DFT). Within the former approach, we used both semiempirical (PM3) and ab initio (Hartree-Fock and second-order Møller-Plesset perturbation theory) methods. Within the latter approach only the recently proposed long-range (LRC) schemes successfully avoid a large overshoot in the value obtained for the first hyperpolarizability (ß). Calculations on model fullerene derivatives establish a connection between this overshoot and the electron-donating capability of the substituent. Substitution of 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole by the triphenylamine group significantly increases the electronic first and second hyperpolarizabilities as well as the two-photon absorption cross section. For [60]fullerene-chromophore dyads we have, additionally, observed that the double harmonic vibrational contribution to the static beta is much larger than its electronic counterpart. The same is true for the dc-Pockels ß as compared to the static electronic value, although the vibrational term is reduced in magnitude; for the intensity-dependent refractive index the vibrational and electronic terms are comparable. A nuclear relaxation treatment of vibrational anharmonicity for a model fulleropyrrolidine molecule yields a first-order contribution that is substantially more important than the double harmonic term for the static ß.

Calculation of the microscopic and macroscopic linear and nonlinear optical properties of liquid acetonitrile. II. Local fields and linear and nonlinear susceptibilities in quadrupolar approximation.

A discrete model based on the multipolar expansion including terms up to hexadecapoles was employed to describe the electrostatic interactions in liquid acetonitrile. Liquid structures obtained form molecular dynamics simulations with different classical, nonpolarizable potentials were used to analyze the electrostatic interactions. The computed average local field was employed for the determination of the environmental effects on the linear and nonlinear electrical molecular properties. Dipole-dipole interactions yield the dominant contribution to the local field, whereas higher multipolar contributions are small but not negligible. Using the effective in-phase properties, macroscopic linear and nonlinear susceptibilities of the liquid were computed. Depending on the partial charges describing the Coulomb interactions of the force field employed, either the linear properties (refractive index and dielectric constant) were reproduced in good agreement with experiment or the nonlinear properties [third-harmonic generation (THG) and electric field induced second-harmonic (EFISH) generation] and the bulk density but never both sets of properties together. It is concluded that the partial charges of the force fields investigated are not suitable for reliable dielectric properties. New methods are probably necessary for the determination of partial charges, which should take into account the collective and long-range nature of electrostatic interactions more precisely.

Computer simulation of the linear and nonlinear optical susceptibilities of p-nitroaniline in cyclohexane, 1,4-dioxane, and tetrahydrofuran in quadrupolar approximation. II. Local field effects and optical susceptibilitities.

This is the second part of a study to elucidate the local field effects on the nonlinear optical properties of p-nitroaniline (pNA) in three solvents of different multipolar character, that is, cyclohexane (CH), 1,4-dioxane (DI), and tetrahydrofuran (THF), employing a discrete description of the solutions. By the use of liquid structure information from molecular dynamics simulations and molecular properties computed by high-level ab initio methods, the local field and local field gradients on p-nitroaniline and the solvent molecules are computed in quadrupolar approximation. To validate the simulations and the induction model, static and dynamic (non)linear properties of the pure solvents are also computed. With the exception of the static dielectric constant of pure THF, a good agreement between computed and experimental refractive indices, dielectric constants, and third harmonic generation signals is obtained for the solvents. For the solutions, it is found that multipole moments up to two orders higher than quadrupole have a negligible influence on the local fields on pNA, if a simple distribution model is employed for the electric properties of pNA. Quadrupole effects are found to be nonnegligible in all three solvents but are especially pronounced in the 1,4-dioxane solvent, in which the local fields are similar to those in THF, although the dielectric constant of DI is 2.2 and that of the simulated THF is 5.4. The electric-field-induced second harmonic generation (EFISH) signal and the hyper-Rayleigh scattering signal of pNA in the solutions computed with the local field are in good to fair agreement with available experimental results. This confirms the effect of the "dioxane anomaly" also on nonlinear optical properties. Predictions based on an ellipsoidal Onsager model as applied by experimentalists are in very good agreement with the discrete model predictions. This is in contrast to a recent discrete reaction field calculation of pNA in 1,4-dioxane, which found that the predicted first hyperpolarizability of pNA deviated strongly from the predictions obtained using Onsager-Lorentz local field factors.

A comparative study of the dipole polarizability of some Zn clusters.

We have employed a hierarchy of basis sets and computational techniques in order to approach the polarizability (alpha) of Zn(m), m = 2-20, in a systematic way. This procedure allows the proper approximate results to be selected and validated. More specifically, we have developed in a systematic way a series of basis sets that have been employed for the computation of the polarizability of the Zn atom. Comparison of the computed with the experimental and the best theoretical results allows us to comment on the quality of the basis sets, and to select some of the more successful ones in order to compute the polarizabilities of Zn(m), m = 2-20. We have employed a series of methods to take into account the correlation contribution. These include the following techniques: MP2, CC2, CCSD, CCSD(T), and DFT(B3LYP). We have used two effective core potentials, one small (3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2) and one large (4s2) core. The relativistic contribution to the properties is found to be significant. Thus we have studied in detail the relativistic effects on the polarizability of some small zinc clusters, by employing the Douglas-Kroll approximation in connection with the polarized basis sets developed by Kellö and Sadlej and the methods HF, CC2, and CCSD. Most of the polarizability values are static, but some frequency-dependent properties have also been computed in order to find out the difference between the dynamic and static ones. It is considered that the sharp changes of alpha(Zn(m))/m vs m may be correlated with the change of bonding, from van der Waals to covalent and finally to metallic bonding, in Zn(m). The present comprehensive study of the polarizabilities of Zn(m) includes a limited number of results for the first and second hyperpolarizability of some of the considered zinc clusters.

Reliable but Timesaving: In Search of an Efficient Quantum-chemical Method for the Description of Functional Fullerenes.

Fullerene and its derivatives are currently one of the most intensively investigated species in the area of nanomedicine and nanochemistry. Various unique properties of fullerenes are responsible for their wide range applications in industry, biology and medicine. A large pool of functionalized C60 and C70 fullerenes is investigated theoretically at different levels of quantum-mechanical theory. The semiempirial PM6 method, density functional theory with the B3LYP functional, and correlated ab initio MP2 method are employed to compute the optimized structures, and an array of properties for the considered species. In addition to the calculations for isolated molecules, the results of solution calculations are also reported at the DFT level, using the polarizable continuum model (PCM). Ionization potentials (IPs) and electron affinities (EAs) are computed by means of Koopmans' theorem as well as with the more accurate but computationally expensive ΔSCF method. Both procedures yield comparable values, while comparison of IPs and EAs computed with different quantum-mechanical methods shows surprisingly large differences. Harmonic vibrational frequencies are computed at the PM6 and B3LYP levels of theory and compared with each other. A possible application of the frequencies as 3D descriptors in the EVA (EigenVAlues) method is shown. All the computed data are made available, and may be used to replace experimental data in routine applications where large amounts of data are required, e.g. in structure-activity relationship studies of the toxicity of fullerene derivatives.

Nonlinear optical properties of the rhombic B4 -cluster.

The equilibrium geometry, energy, dipole polarizability, and second hyperpolarizability of the rhombic B4 -cluster with D2h symmetry are calculated by restricted (RHF) and unrestricted (UHF) Hartree-Fock theory; Møller-Plesset perturbation theory (MPn); coupled-cluster theory with singles, doubles, and a perturbational treatment for connected triples [CCSD(T)]; Brueckner doubles with a perturbational treatment for connected triples [BD(T)]; and complete active space SCF (CASSCF) and restricted active space SCF (RASSCF) methods, using three different basis sets. The multireference methods show that excited state configurations contribute appreciably to the ground state wave function. Accordingly, the RHF method yields results that differ greatly from those of the correlated methods, even for the geometry. UHF gives more reliable geometries, but suffers from high spin contamination. The electric properties calculated at reasonably highly correlated levels are qualitatively comparable for both the single reference and multireference descriptions, although differences between CCSD(T) and BD(T) are larger than usually reported in the literature and properties calculated at the MPn (n=2, 3, 4) series show much damped oscillatory behavior, especially for the components along the long in-plane axis. It is found that inclusion of f-functions in the basis set do not have a large effect on the electric properties. ©1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Comput Chem 20: 679-687, 1999.

Strategies in the rational drug design.

Rational design is applied in the discovery of novel lead drugs. Its rapid development is mainly attributed to the tremendous advancements in the computer science, statistics, molecular biology, biophysics, biochemistry, medicinal chemistry, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics experienced in the last few decades. The promising feature that characterizes the application of rational drug design is that it uses for developing potential leads in drug discovery all known theoretical and experimental knowledge of the system under study. The utilization of the knowledge of the molecular basis of the system ultimately aims to reduce human power cost, time saving and laboratory expenses in the drug discovery. In this review paper various strategies applied for systems which include: (i) absence of knowledge of the receptor active site; (ii) the knowledge of a homology model of a receptor, (iii) the knowledge of the experimentally determined (i.e. X-ray crystallography, NMR spectroscopy) coordinates of the active site of the protein in absence and (iv) the presence of the ligand will be analyzed.

Docking and Molecular Dynamics Calculations of Pyrrolidinone Analog MMK16 Bound to COX and LOX Enzymes.

The new molecule 4-[(2S)-2-(1H-imidazol-1-ylmethyl)-5-oxotetrahydro-1H-pyrrol-1-yl]methylbenzenecarboxylic acid (MMK16) was found to have promising anti-inflammatory activity. This biological behavior of MMK16 triggered our interest to study its binding affinity using NMR spectroscopy in LOX and its docking and molecular dynamics (MD) properties in LOX and COX enzymes. The present NMR and docking binding studies not only rationalize the obtained biological results since in all three receptors MMK16 shows high affinity and scoring but also make it a potential dual LOX-5/COX-2 inhibitor. Thus, this class of molecules must be further investigated for discovering compounds possessing better biological activity and more lasting biological effect.

On the Electronic Structure of H-Ng-Ng-F (Ng = Ar, Kr, Xe) and the Nonlinear Optical Properties of HXe2F.

The electronic ground state of H-Ng-Ng-F (Ng = Ar, Kr, Xe) has been studied theoretically by employing the ab initio complete active space valence bond (CASVB) and multi-state complete active space perturbation theory (MS-CASPT2) methods. Both levels of theory confirm the diradicaloid character (DC) of the HNg2F ground state, increasing in the order Ar > Kr > Xe. The very significant effect of the first and, even more, the second Xe atom on the (hyper)polarizabilities has been shown and interpreted. Thus, the present results demonstrate a mechanism for producing very large (hyper)polarizabilities.

Computer simulation of the linear and nonlinear optical susceptibilities of p-nitroaniline in cyclohexane, 1,4-dioxane, and tetrahydrofuran in quadrupolar approximation. I. Molecular polarizabilities and hyperpolarizabilities.

This is the first part of a study of the local field effects on (non)linear optical susceptibilities of solutions of para-nitroaniline (pNA) in three different solvents, cyclohexane (CH), 1,4-dioxane (DI), and tetrahydrofuran (THF), using a discrete molecular representation of the condensed phase. To account for dipolar and quadrupolar effects, the latter of which are especially important for DI solution, all the electric properties necessary to compute the local fields and local field gradients in quadrupolar approximation as well as the dipolar hyperpolarizabilities for the four molecules are computed, including frequency dispersion and vibrational contributions to the dipolar properties. The convergence of the perturbation treatment for the pure vibrational (PV) contributions is examined by comparison of the values obtained at the lowest order with those of partially computed second order in mechanical and electrical anharmonicity. For pNA, for which previous computations of the hyperpolarizabilities have generally found poor agreement with experimental results, a thorough investigation of the effects of solvent-induced geometry changes, dynamic and static correlation, frequency dispersion, and classical thermal averaging over the torsional modes of the substituent groups and the inversion mode of the amino group on the dipolar properties is carried out. Computations using self-consistent continuum reaction field models show that the amino group is substantially less pyramidalized in polar solvents than in the gas phase. With all the effects taken into account, reasonable agreement with the experimental electric-field induced second harmonic generation (EFISH) result on pNA vapor of Kaatz, Donley, and Shelton is obtained.